Strap or handle for bags and the like



Nov. 17, 1942. 4 R. w. BURNEY 2,302,599

STRAPS OR HANDLE FOR BAGS AND THE LIKE Filed April 24, 1941 'ATTOPIVEX Patented Nov. 17, 1942 STRAP OR HANDLE FOR BAGS AND THE'LIKE Robert William Burney, Wigan, England Application April 24, 1941, Serial No. 390,054 In Great Britain April 10, 1940 1 Claim.

This invention relates to straps or handles for bags and the like, the term bag including for example ladies handbags, shopping bags, brief cases, suitcases, sports bags, golf bags, haversacks, military equipment, and like containers.

One of the disadvantages with straps or handles of the forms hitherto usually fitted to such articles as those named, has been that the attachment of the strap or handle to the article itself is relatively rigid. This objection applies for example, where the usual D-shaped or other ring is used for such attachment, and also, in the case of ladies handbags, where a fixed ear or loop on the frame of the bag and an interengaging shamrock or other ring on the handle or strap are employed, and applies because such rings are able to turn in the ear or loop and become locked in undesirable positions against such fixed ear or loop with a twist in the handle or strap. It has been proposed, however, to secure a carrier strap to a handbag by passing the ends of the strap through eyelets in the side of the bag and by attaching some fastener to the ends of the strap to prevent them bein pulled back out of the eyelets. Such arrangement has the drawback that the strap is relatively rigidly secured at its ends and will not fall down out of the way of the users hands when access to the interior of the bag is required. Also, when the material of the handle is twisted, such twist is liable to remain as a permanent set.

The object of this invention is to improve the construction of fastening means for straps or handles so that they will not have the aforesaid disadvantages.

According to the invention, the improved fastening means comprises an eyelet or other roundapertured strengthening member (for example the metal frame of the bag) secured in or behind the material of the article, and a multi-link connection comprising at one end a head adapted to be trapped behind the aperture in the said strengthening member and at the other end a loop or ring for attachment to the strap or handle, the link connection being capable of flexing in its own length and of rotating in the said aperture.

Usually it will be sufiicient if the flexible link connection is comprised solely of the end members (head and loop) just described, both of them having a part preventing their complete passage through the eyelet but when necessary there may be any number of intermediate links, such as chain links, say for example if the wall of the bag is of more than ordinary thickness.

suitable reinforcing means.

The head part of the flexible connection will carry an eye capable of being passed into the eyelet from the interior of the bag, whereupon the adjacent link will be threaded into that eye and then closed to prevent its withdrawal.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a ladys handbag to which one of the improved fastenings is applied;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through one of the fastenings and the adjacent parts of the bag; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the same parts of the bag.

As shown, the wall of the bag comprises an outer layer It] say of artificial leather, and an intermediate strengthening layer ll, say of stout card, through which passes an eyelet I2, this being covered on the inside by the lining 13 of textile material. The eyelets l2 may each be backed by a metal washer, or strip, or by other Passing into the eyelet from the inner end is an ordinary shoe button, its stem or eye I4 passing through the eyelet and being rotatable therein, whilst its head l5 may fit against the inner end of the eyelet. Threaded through the stem I4 of the button is a shamrock or other ring or link l6 which is then closed to form a loop for the twistable, flexible strap ll, the two lengths of the folded strap being secured together by the rivet l8. Alternatively, the two ends may be secured together by stitching, or otherwise.

In use, it will be found that the connection will act as a swivel, the parts l4 and I5 being free to rotate in the eyelet I2, so that if the strap l1 twists the shamrock ring [6 cannot lock itself to the stem of the button, and any slight natural stiffness of the strap immediately results in the strap assuming a non-twisted condition, even if it lies inside out. Also, the flexible nature of the improved connection allows the handle I! to fall close to the wall of the bag so as to be out of the Way when access to the interior of the bag is desired, This effect is very desirable for suitcases, trunks, etc., as it protects the handle from damage.

What I claim is:

A handle for a bag comprising a twistable flexible hand grip provided at its ends with loops and connections for securing the ends of the hand grip to the bag, each connection including an eyelet opening in the bag, an eye of less diameter than the eyelet opening and passed through the same from the interior of the bag and projecting exteriorly of the bag and having an inwardly extending shank portion and provided at the inner end thereof with a head of greater diameter than the eyelet opening and forming a swivel connection permitting free rotary movement of the eye in the eyelet opening, said eye, shank, and head constituting a pivotal member largely concealed within the bag and a link linked into the eye and into the adjacent loop of the hand grip and loosely held in the eye and having free movement therein, and adapted to rise and fall and rotate and permitting the hand grip when released to collapse and fall against the side of the bag to facilitate ready opening and closing of the same.

ROBERT WILLIAM BURNEY. 

